The mayors of the 5th District of Negros Occidental did not endorse Dina Arroyo-Tantoco as their candidate for representative during a gathering at the house of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA), Board Member Anton Occeño said Wednesday, June 19.
Tantoco is rumored to be planning to run against incumbent Rep. Emilio “Dino” Yulo III for the fifth congressional seat of Negros Occidental, a post previously held by her late father Ignacio Arroyo and aunt Marilou Arroyo.
Tantoco’s running for representative of the 5th District was not discussed at the gathering at the house of the former president in La Vista, Quezon City, three weeks ago, Occeño said.
Photos circulating on social media show Tantoco, the former president, her husband Mike Arroyo, son Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and the mayors of the fifth district fueling speculation of a Dino-Dina battle in the 2025 polls.
The mayors present were Alejandro Mirasol of Binalbagan, Raymund Tongson of Himamaylan City, Irene Montilla of Isabela, Ella Garcia Yulo of Moises Padilla, and Rhummyla Mangilimutan of La Castellana.
Occeño said the Arroyos just want to help the 5th District but Dina’s running for representative was not discussed.
“It is too early to say,” he said.
Yulo, when asked for his reaction, said “there is a time for everything”.
Right now there are problems in the fifth district that must be attended to following the Kanlaon Volcano eruption and the Army worms’ outbreak.
“I think it is unfair to the people to be talking about politics at this time,” Yulo said.
Mangilimutan also denied that they discussed Tantoco’s political plans at the meeting.
“Dina has not announced that she will run, we cannot guess what their plans are,” she said.*